Those courses sparked a sense of fun even if one is not playing well. For his final attempt to stay ahead of the technology curve, he designed the Pete Dye course at French Lick (2009) which is 8102 yards long. The green is angled left to right to follow the edge of the pond. With five sets of tees, the Stadium lures all skill levels. Therefore, he accomplished his goal. LA QUINTA, CA - JANUARY 21: A general view of the 18th hole during the final round of the CareerBuilder Challenge at the TPC Stadium Course at PGA West on January 21, 2018 in La Quinta, California. 8 – par 5 559/526 “links”. The course was not in good condition due to the shutdown for three months due to Covid-19, having been opened only a few weeks. 3 – par 4 471/448 “crescent”. Then there are no bunkers until four bunkers right of the green with a pond off to the left. The Stadium is what happens to architects who are successful and then sought out by future clients simply regurgitating what's been done previously. A long, deep bunker is down the right side that goes out about 250 yards with a flanking, smaller bunker on the left. There is a bunker also behind the green on the left. It is also a course I would not hurry to play a second time as it is overly contrived to be very punitive. Another par 3 with a forced carry over water which goes down the left side beyond the green. The 17th hole, named Alcatraz, an island green par 3 is probably the most famous hole, partially due to Lee Trevino’s hole in one at the 1987 Skins game that paid him $175k. Notable holes include: #2, a heavily mounded par four with an absolutely miniscule green, #6, a long forced-carry par three with a massive green complex, #9, a long par four that uses a lake and mounds to visualy intimidate the player off the tee, #11, a reachable par five with a sneaky swale in front of the green that prevents all but the best approaches from reaching the surface, and then the final three holes: #16, the famous downhill par five with one of the deepest bunkers you’ll see anywhere outside of a Langford & Moreau dream sequence (side note – if you play the course, throw a ball in the bunker on #16 even if you don’t hit it down there just to try to get out. Pete Dye. Was this review helpful? Just a short drive from Palm Springs is PGA West, home of the PGA Tour's CareerBuilder Challenge and the venue for the 2021 Golfweek Senior Amateur Championship. 13 – par 3 214/195 “second thoughts”. PGA West Stadium is a Pete Dye brute that swallows up bad shots, yet provides both a great experience with a certain charm. It was to be called the TPC Stadium Course, and it was meant to put a burgeoning real estate development, PGA West, on the national map. At 7,300 yards, the Stadium Course has the highest stroke (76.1) and slope (150) ratings of all the courses at PGA WEST®. The green narrows at the back. The Stadium Course at PGA WEST. There are no bunkers at the green. 14 – par 4 389/372 “cavern”. Today the La Quinta Resort itself has five courses with a myriad in the surrounding area. The green is set off to the left with a fronting, somewhat deep bunker on the right. Many are pure parkland courses such as the two at Des Moines. Nearer the green the bunkers are all on the left with three large ones and a smaller one. View Course. Course Website: Official Website - Visit PGA West (Stadium)'s official website by clicking on the link provided. The longer hitters in my group paid them no attention. My foursome deposited 9 balls in the water hazard before we finally moved on. Established: 1960. A small bunker is on the left front with two staggered bunkers behind the green. 15 – par 4 468/436 “turning home”. Earlier Dye designs are more engaging even when uber challenging. But Dye is not creating fresh and innovative design at the Stadium. This won him a carry-over Skin worth $175,000 in the 1987 made-for-TV "Skins Game," hosted at PGA WEST from 1986-1991. I came close with my ball going over the edge of the cup ending seven feet away. There's little need for me to repeat what others have already said. Golf Course Tee Times Are Open! Respond to above review  Find golf courses in your area to play for all levels and ages. Respond to above review  I really did have to think my way round the course both off the tee and approaching the greens, which keeps me interested and engaged. A second large bunker is placed pretty far left and has a gathering area in it with a pot bunker placed closer to the green. I liked the hole as it better balances risk and reward. A Pete Dye golf course, Stadium delivers multiple adrenaline rushes throughout the round. I think the deep bunker near the green is silly but I liked the layout of the hole. Was this review helpful? The green is shaped like a lima bean but is in the process of being expanded for more pin placements. Railroad ties, outrageously deep bunkers, mounding, and an island green. He did not study topographical drawings for hours. Description: The best and toughest of the three public courses at the PGA West golf complex, Pete and Alice Dye’s 1986 creation, the TPC Stadium course, is host to the PGA Tour “Q-School” Finals every two years. 9 – par 4 452/430 “reflection”. Respond to above review  Golf Traveler named it as the second most challenging course in America. The green is raised. But he often moved a tremendous amount of earth in order to create a hole. The Nicklaus Course is a Par 72 measuring 7,159 yards. Many would know the Stadium Course from the television coverage of the Desert Classic, but when the event originally began the pros objected that the course was too hard and had the tournament moved elsewhere! When I am asked about the most difficult golf courses I have played, I will be sure to include the Stadium course at PGA West. Yet I had a feeling that the course asked me to find the middle of the fairway and then hit a heroic shot to the green. There is very little that looks natural about the mounding that frames almost every hole and green (which looks a little more like Hobbiton/ Tellytubby land at times). No pun intended -- you will Dye here without high quality shots -- again and again. The PGA Tour pros had found it too hard compared to the other courses in the event. Pete Dye is known for building very difficult golf courses that are rarely natural and usually very “manufactured” in order to be very penal for errant or poorly executed shots. My critique of overly difficult golf courses such as PGA West is that they can lead to a loss of strategy as one simply looks for the most conservative play in order to make no more than bogey and hope for a one-putt par. For the second shot, there are two bunkers on the left as players try to hit their approach shots away from the water. Here you can play a different course six days a week on 109 holes of championship golf designed by five golf legends: Arnold Palmer, Tom Weiskopf, Pete Dye, Greg Norman, and … A single small pot bunker is on the right. Two rounds will have you playing the Nicklaus Tournament Course, a … Golfer's must navigate the island green of hole #17, known as Alcatraz, as well as the menacing water-lined 18th as they end their golfing journey. Pete Dye, often assisted by his wife, Alice, did most of his designs by walking the land over and over in order to determine a routing. He accomplished many of his personal competitive goals. See other reviews from Mark White. But the later designs from Pete accentuated harsh angle, severe penalties and little concern for recoverability. At the Stadium course at PGA West, he moved a lot of dirt to create lakes, deep bunkers, hills, and mounds. Perhaps his only “failure” was to stay ahead of the technology curve. They often lose patience with the round. This has another long bunker on the right and two bunkers on the left. They include all the facilities you would expect of a top resort, GPS carts, great practice facility, well stocked shop, training academy etc. For average length players, even from the Blue tees the course is overly hard. I did not care for holes 1-3 as I felt like I was playing the same hole. 17 – par 3 168/148 “Alcatraz”. Golf is not a fair game, so why build a course fair? Certainly there are many similarities that the courses share, including the famous island 17th greens. To fans’ amusement, after ten attempts, he finally tossed his ball out; in fairness to the former Speaker of the House, the bunker is over 18 feet DEEP! No doubt, some will make the counterpoint about the depth of the San Adreas fault bunker to the left of the 16th green and the cloned holes from Florida with the island par-3 17th and the water penalty area hugging the left side of the 18th. Exclusive Benefits for resort guests. 1 person found this review helpful This is a fun hole. I didn’t play the tips, which was good, because the next set of tees up was plenty difficult due to the green complexes. It is worth playing if in the area, but it is not one that I would go back to play should I find myself in Palm Springs/Desert Springs area again. Many greens are elevated, and a number run at angle to the fairway demanding an approach that has the right length AND line to hit the target. I scored an 87 with numerous unforced errors, yet I think from those tees I would not likely have a chance of breaking 80. More importantly, it felt too similar to the ending at the Stadium course at TPC Sawgrass. It is the rare golfer who can take a moment to smile when contemplating a seemingly impossible shot on a design by Mr. Dye. View Course. 10 - par 4 416/390 “quarry”. 12 – par 4 363/347 “moat”. LA QUINTA, Calif. – Tony Finau will always have a soft spot for PGA West. 0 people found this review helpful *Limited availability over select dates. I'll take the original and skip the replica. 6 – par 3 255/223 “amen”. There is only one flight in the Gross Division and they will play the Blue or Championship Tees. The Stadium Course has attracted such accolades before, rated as one of the “Top 100 Courses to Play” in 2016-17 by Golf Magazine and earned a spot in Golf Digest’s “Top 50 Toughest Courses … See other reviews from Peter Wood. The green is angled left to right with bunkers at the front between the green and water. 11 – par 5 617/591 “eternity”. THE STADIUM COURSE AT PGA WEST Golf Digest Top 50 in the U.S. Book a Tee Time. Net Divisions will play the Dunes and Mountain courses at La Quinta Resort & Club, and another course to be determined. Walk in the footsteps of golf legends on the Stadium Course at PGA WEST, ranked among some of the best courses in the world. 0 people found this review helpful Then each course is ranked against other courses in its state to produce the final rankings. You hit over a lake to the fairway on the right. Two hours west Disneyland boasts a number of roller coaster rides that continue to buffet you with twists and turns until the end. 5 – par 5 535/514 “double trouble”. It is penal golf architecture, and it is high octane golf. Woven through a rugged desert tapestry in the shadows of the Santa Rosa Mountains, the TPC Stadium Course at PGA WEST is designed in what Dye has … If one plays the right tees for the distance one hits their tee shots, the approach shots into the greens and the green surrounds are fair. There are only three bunkers on the hole, but all are on the left and all of them are enormous and deep. Mr. Dye was not a minimalist. Explore the Course When I think of the designs by Pete Dye and his wife, Alice, I maintain he did add greatly to the enjoyment of the game. Stadium is legendary for its difficulty, and I think it held up to that reputation. There is a long bunker short right of the green. The course has Dye's stamp all over it, railroad ties, menacing rough and crazily positioned bunkers and greens, all of which can make for a tough round. I thought this to be the third best hole on the front nine. The mastermind of golf course architect Pete Dye, the Stadium is one of the most challenging courses anywhere. 16 – par 5 600/517 “san andreas fault”. I felt this to be the worst hole on the golf course with a long, forced carry over water to a large green which has this lake fronting the green and continuing down the right. I find the greatest satisfaction in believing that I have somehow contributed in making the game I love a more exciting one to play.’. Mr. Dye was an accomplished amateur, winning the Ohio high school championship, the Indiana state amateur, competed in the US Open, the US Amateur and the British Amateur. I disliked the final hole on the outward nine which has water down most of the right side beginning about 100 yards off the green and continuing to the front of the green. I usually make at least one trip to the Coachella Valley each year to play ‘desert’ golf, but this week I made my first trip to La Quinta to the PGA West resort to play the Stadium Course. Is it worth $400 to play? At the time, Dye had become America’s “it” designer following the 1980 debut of the Tournament Players Club in Ponte Vedra, Fla. – the first of numerous “stadium” designs in the country. Royal Montreal (Blue Course) Boreal : 70: Ponderosa Retreat: Boreal : 72: Whitby Bayshore GC FALL: Harvest: 70: Erin Links: Winter: 72: Glen Abbey V2: Winter: 70: Riviera GC 2018 (by S2G) Tropical: 71: PGA West (Stadium) Delta: 72 For me, PGA West Stadium course is the most difficult of the designs by Pete and Alice Dye. My favorite hole on the front nine was this short hole which has water down the entirety of the right side continuing to the front of the green. I am a huge fan of TPC Stadium but no way would I play there again until checking the conditioning first. I would say he accomplished his goal. Was this review helpful? 4 - par 3 192/170 “sand pit”. One difference between the two holes is that TPC Sawgrass has trees down the right side while PGA West has a series of staggered bunkers down the right side with more manufactured mounds as well. Simply a fantastic golf course that will test your game to the max! 2 – par 4 371/348. See other reviews from Colin Braithwaite. Most of the hallmarks are here. PGA West Course Review: 25 years of spectacular golf 03/30/2011 by Tod Leonard of San Diego Union-Tribune Famous designer Pete Dye's work of art at the TPC Stadium Course is still challenging golfers after 25 years. All Rights Reserved | Country Club Websites by MembersFirst | Terms of Use | Privacy, Copyright ©2021 by The Club at PGA WEST. T81. Generally speaking, if you leave your approaches short of the greens will be punished either by deep bunkers or water. Golfers generally have a definite opinion regarding the designs by Pete Dye. Go figure. From the tips it is 7300 yards with a Slope Rating of 150. The longer hitters thought the hole to be too easy. I respect it, but I do not get enthused by it. However, the PGA West Stadium Course plays to an easier course rating than other courses played in the tournament. I ended up breaking 80, playing a little under 6500 yds (not bad for a 13 handicapper). Peter Wood is the founder of The Travelling Golfer – click the link to read his full review. We played the 6739 tees as I played with two low index players who generally hit their tee shots an average of 300 yards. There are three long bunkers down the left side with a green that is thin and raised. Played this one a while ago during a trip that included 27 holes at Chambers Bay the pr... Dogleg holes are often more interesting than straight ones. Play golf and have fun at a golf course near you. View Course. Bigger hitters likely lay up here. 7 – par 4 336/309 “black hole”. While the two co-hosts rank as the easiest and second-easiest courses… - 55-955 PGA Blvd, La Quinta, California 92253 – UNITED STATES. Am I glad I played this course? You bet. But the reality is that if they are having a good day with the driver and finding the fairway, the course is pretty easy. Booking tee-times 365 days out. The ban ran out recently and the Classic returned to The Stadium Course in 2016. His reputation comes from building a dozen or more difficult courses. See other reviews from Brian LaBardi. The green is long and thin and slightly elevated. Course was in great condition, a very nice country club in Arizona. Greg Norman Course at PGA WEST. Stadium is worth a pilgrimage for any Dye fan, as it represents the pinnacle of his early ‘80s craziness, and the pure variety of holes is arguably better than any similarly flat site on the planet. Knoll (West Course) Boonton (c) 15. Just about every hole is a white knuckler. There is a long 80 yard bunker on the right between the fairway and the lake. The hole plays as a dogleg right with the green put into a manufactured dell with a false front. The La Quinta Resort opened in the late 1920s as an exclusive enclave for Hollywood stars such as Clark Gable, Greta Garbo and Errol Flynn. I liked the hole because I thought the entirety of the green complex was more interesting than any other hole on the front nine. Total purse (winner's share): $5.9 million ($1.062 million) Bottom line: This tournament is played on three different courses, and in a pro-am format. For others -- it will be tedious to the max. Was this review helpful? There is a small pot bunker left, a bunker right and three bunkers behind the green. Most players I know do not list him as one of their favorite golf architects, but often rank him among their least favorite. Most everyone ranks it at least in the top five for toughness. Pete Dye has a reputation for difficult designs that are over-the-top which do not offer a chance to breathe. Home of the Desert Classic Golf Tournament, this par-72 course designed by Pete Dye provides the ultimate golf experience. My playing companions shot 77 and 78 with also numerous unexpected mistakes. One can see what they have to do in order to contend with the course’s defenses. Giving the death penalty for a shot that merits nothing worse than a parking ticket is overkill. PGA WEST will more than fulfill your passion for the game proven by the many awards and accolades. Mountain Course at La Quinta Resort. Write a review for PGA West (TPC Stadium). The Golden State of California covers a vast area on the west coast of the USA, ranging from the Pacific Coast in the west to the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the east. PGA West (Stadium) La Quinta, Calif.; Pete Dye; 1986 6.51. Due to Riverside County's amended orders dated April 20, 2020 the PGA WEST Courses have reopened under certain guidelines. A short drive from Palm Springs, the PGA West resort is host to six world famous championship golf courses, three of which are open to the public. View Course. With multiple awards to its credit, the course and its features showcase Dye’s exceptional brand of originality. Many of these courses actually required little movement of land such as at The Golf Club. Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA WEST. While I am glad architects have stopped doing what Mr. Dye tried to do in building excessively difficult golf courses, it is easy to see his contributions to the art of golf architectural design.